Washout

Mathieu D’Hondt
Mohammed Abu Hilal

After completing the purse string suture, a wash out of the distal rectal stump is performed using a diluted Iso-Betadine solution. We dilate 1:1 with saline and use 200 mL to rinse.

Copious irrigation of the distal rectum avoids contamination and may also offer an oncologic advantage of reducing the risk of tumor cell implantation.

Although it’s easy to perform a distal washout during TaTME, it can also be implemented as part of either an open, laparoscopic or robotic approach.